Portable fire hydrant

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a vertically disposed steel or cast iron tubular member adapted to be bolted onto a support collar which in turn is secured by a key to a ball valve support flange that is bolted over an opening in a water main. The aforesaid tubular member is provided with both a plurality of horizontally disposed water outlets and a vertically disposed threaded rod whose upper end extends out of the top of the tubular member to terminate in the center of a hand wheel. The lower end of the aforesaid threaded rod is provided with a ball cup that presses down onto the top of a spring-loaded ball valve that is located in the lower end of the aforesaid ball valve support flange. The invention is adapted to be quickly removed from the top of the outlet of a water main at which time the water supply automatically will be shut off by the automatic action of the aforesaid spring-loaded ball valve.

[ 1 PORTABLE ruin iii BRANT [76] Inventors: Luther C4 Atkins; Jimmy G. Atkins, both of 5207 N. Villa, Space No. 7,

. Clovis, Calif. 93612 [22] Filed: Mar. 9, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 122,470

[52] US. Cl 137/272, l37/DlG. 2, 137/322, 251/145 [51] Int. Cl E03b 9/02 58] Field of Search 61/12; 137/DIG. 2, 137/317, 320-322, 272, 329.3, 454.2, 454.5, 454.6, 614.13, 614.14; 251/145, 146, 276, 278, 291

[56] References c11 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS 543,773 7/1895 Massey 251 144 x 2,286,623 6/1942 Kellaher et al. 251 145 x 2,765,806 10/1956 'Webster 137/322 3,024,613 3/1962 Calciano 251 145 x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 936,252 9/1963 Great Britain 251/145 Aug. 14, 1973 Primary Examiner-Martin P. Schwadron Assistant xaminerRichard Gerard [57] ABSTRACT This invention consists of a vertically disposed steel or cast iron tubular member adapted to be bolted onto a support collaigwhich in turn is secured by a key to a ball valve support flange that is bolted over an opening in a water main. The aforesaid tubular member is provided with both a plurality of horizontally disposed water outlets and a vertically disposed threaded rod whose upper end extends out of the top of the tubular member to terminate in the center of a hand wheel. The lower end of the aforesaid threaded rod is provided with a ball cup that presses down onto the top of a spring-loaded ball valve that is located in the lower end of the aforesaid ball valve support flange. The invention is adapted to be quickly removed from the top of the outlet of a water main at which time the water supply automatically will be shut off by the automatic action of the aforesaid spring-loaded ball valve.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 14,1973 3,752,179

INVENTORS LUTHER CI ATKINS JIMMY G. ATKINS PORTABLE FIRE HYDRANT This invention relates to fire hydrants, or fire plugs as they are sometimes called; and more particularly, to a fire hydrant that is portable by reason of the fact that it is carried to a desired place of use and then connected to a water main.

With the ever rising cost of fire fighting equipment, a matter of grave concern to small municipalities, ways are being found to reduce this cost by means of new and novel equipment without the loss of fire fighting efficiency.

[t is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a portable fire hydrant of the character herein described that can be carried on a fire truck to the place of need and then connected to a water supply pipe in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable fire hydrant that can be quickly connected to an outlet of a water supply pipe that is provided with a spring-loaded ball valve which can be opened by the manually-operated valve of the fire hydrant once it is connected to the aforesaidoutlet. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable fire hydrant that contains only one moving part which is the depressor of the ball valve in the water outlet of the water supply pipe.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will no doubt appear as the reading of this specification and its appended claims proceeds and the accompanying drawing is examined in connection therewith.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of this invention secured to a water main and broken open in part in order to show its internal construction.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the fire hydrant support collar.

This invention in its entirety is indicated by the reference number 5 in the accompanying drawing.

Directing ones attention first to FIG. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that this invention consists of a verically disposed cast iron or steel tubular member 6 which is the body of the fire hydrant I have invented. The bottom of the aforesaid tubular member 6 is provided with an integrally formed flange 7 having a plurality of equally spaced and radially disposed openings therein for the reception of the hold down bolts 8 that are used to secure the hydrant to the support collar 9. The upper end of the aforesaid tubular member 6 is provided with 'a centrally located and vertically disposed downwardly extending tube 10. The tube 10 is provided with internal threads for the reception of the threaded rod 11 on whose upper end is located the hand wheel 12 and on whose lower end is secured ball cup 13. The justmentioned ball cup 13 is adapted to fit on top of the ball valve 14, as will shortly be described.

Continuing to look at FIG. 1 it will be seen that the aforesaid tubular member 6 is also provided with two or more horizontally disposed water outlets 15 that are made according to the standards of any ordinary fire hydrant.

Still looking at FIG. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that, as previously stated, the fire hydrant 5 is secured to the top of a support collar 9 whose configuration provides it with a top supporting ring 16, a vertically disposed wall 17, and a flange 18, all of which are integrally formed together in one piece unit that rests on the top of the ball valve support flange 19 which in turn is bolted down on the top of the water main 20. The water main 20 is shown in phantom lines in the accompanying drawing since it is not an actual part of this invention.

Going back to the aforesaid support collar 9, it will be seen from the drawing that this collar is an actual part of this novel invention to which it is bolted. Looking at FIG. 2 and then at FIG. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that the inside periphery of the aforesaid top supporting ring 16 is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed locking lugs 21 that are rectangular when viewed from the top and which lock under the same shaped lugs 22 that project horizontally outward from the upper end and periphery of the aforesaid ball valve support flange 19. A key 23 locks the aforesaid support collar 9 onto the water main 20 by passing down through the opening 24 in the collar and a like opening in the periphery of the aforesaid ball valve support flange 19.

Going back once more to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing it will be seen that this invention also embodies a separable spring and ball valve cage 25 that rests in the water main 20 directly under the opening for the fire hydrant 5. The upper end of the aforesaid cage 25 encompasses the lower end of the aforesaid ball valve support flange 19 in whose lower end is located the aforesaid ball valve 14. A ball valve holder 26 encompasses the often-mentioned ball valve 14 and rests on top of the coil spring 27 whose lower end, like the lower end of the aforesaid cage 25, rests in the spring and cage holder 28. The cage holder 28 is adapted to engage the adjacent water main wall to attain proper alignment of the cage and lower end of the support flange.

The way in which this novel invention, whose construction we have just described, is used is so obvious from examination of the accompanying drawing that no further explanation is needed in this disclosure.

This invention is subject to any and all changes in detail design and/or modifications that one may care to make in so long as the changes and/or modifications fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What we now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable fire hydrant of the character described, comprising a vertically disposed tubular member having a pluraity of horizontally disposed water outlets extending outward therefrom; a ball valve support flange, means including lugs for quickly connecting and disconnecting said tubular member to said ball valve support flange; means for bolting said support flange to an opening in a water main; the ball support flange having a central opening therethrough and a rim surrounding said opening and extending downward from said ball valve support flange, a separable cylindrical spring and ball valve cage whose upper end encompasses said rim, a spring and cage holder adapted to be located in the lower part of said water main and secured to the lower end of said cage and adapted to engage the adjacent water main wall to attain alignment of said cage and rim, a coil spring in the lower end of said cage, a ball valve in the upper end of said cage and a ball valve holder interposed between the ball valve and the spring, said ball valve urged into seating engagement with said rim to arrest flow through said opening, and manual means for moving said ball valve to an open postition.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said manual means of turning on the water in the said fire hydrant is by a vertically disposed threaded rod that has its upper end extending out of the top of the said tubular member to terminate in a hand wheel; and the lower 

1. A portable fire hydrant of the character described, comprising a vertically disposed tubular member having a pluraity of horizontally disposed water outlets extending outward therefrom; a ball valve support flange, means including lugs for quickly connecting and disconnecting said tubular member to said ball valve support flange; means for bolting said support flange to an opening in a water main; the ball support flange having a central opening therethrough and a rim surrounding said opening and extending downward from said ball valve support flange, a separable cylindrical spring and ball valve cage whose upper end encompasses said rim, a spring and cage holder adapted to be located in the lower part of said water main and secured to the lower end of said cage and adapted to engage the adjacent water main wall to attain alignment of said cage and rim, a coiL spring in the lower end of said cage, a ball valve in the upper end of said cage and a ball valve holder interposed between the ball valve and the spring, said ball valve urged into seating engagement with said rim to arrest flow through said opening, and manual means for moving said ball valve to an open postition.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said manual means of turning on the water in the said fire hydrant is by a vertically disposed threaded rod that has its upper end extending out of the top of the said tubular member to terminate in a hand wheel; and the lower end of the said threaded rod being provided with a ball cup that presses down on top of the said ball valve when the water is to be turned on for the said hydrant. 